In
biology, mimesis (from
ancient Greek μίμησις mímēsis, "imitation")[1] refers to a form of
crypsis where living creatures mimic the form, colour and posture of their surroundings to avoid being noticed from their surroundings by predators depending on sight.[2] Mimesis is a form of crypsis and thus differs from
mimicry, which is a form of
aposematism.[3] In
English mimesis is often counted as a form of mimicry.[3]
Mimesis can be divided by the type of objects being mimicked:
Zoomimesis refers to mimicry of different animals. Contrary to mimicry, in zoomimesis the model animal is neither poisonous or capable of putting up a fight. Examples include various visitor species of ants (
myrmecophily), resembling the ants in whose nests they live.[3]
Phytomimesis refers to mimicry of plants or parts of plants.[3] Some
geometer moths resemble thin twigs in appearance.
Stick insects have a body shape resembling twigs or leaves (as in
walking leaves).
Notodontidae moths resemble the bark of deciduous trees. Some species in this
family, such as the
alder kitten and the
sallow kitten have cocoons resembling tree bark. Some
potoo birds resemble broken branches.
Allomimesis refers to mimicry of lifeless objects. Some small butterflies resemble bird droppings. Some species of
fig-marigolds living in African deserts resemble stones and are thus known as "
living stones".[3]
This type of mimicry developed already 50 million years ago in
micromoths, whose
quivers in their
larval stage resembled the forest soil. Evidence of this has been preserved in Baltic
amber.[4]